The role of contemporary computers continues to evolve as a tool used for communications and media applications. Personal computers offer many new and exciting media applications for personal entertainment such as live television, personal video recording, playing or recording digital music, displaying or creating digital photographs, and playing movies recorded on a DVD. With the introduction of Voice-over-IP (VoIP) and other IP telephony applications, computers also may be used for handling phone calls and voice mail, in addition to handling media applications and customary communication applications such as email, instant messaging, fax communications, and so forth.
A personal computer with integrated telephony can enhance voice and video communication in ways that empower the user while increasing user productivity and enjoyment. For example, a personal computer may be designed that is capable of accepting incoming calls of various kinds such as analog Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), private branch exchange (PBX), cellular telephony, VoIP, and/or cellular telephony. Application programs may use VoIP telephony, instant messaging and videoconferencing by integrating the use of microphone, speakers and camera.
What is needed is a simplified system and method for a user to interact with these various communications and media applications, in a consistent way across these communication modalities. The system and method should operate in what is perceived to be an intelligent manner, and be fairly comprehensive in handling communications, as well as flexible and extensible to handle many user scenarios and usage patterns. At the same time, such a system and method should be straightforward for users to activate and also interact with in an intuitive way.